1. Chapter Ten Bad-News Messages McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2014 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. 10-2 Learning Objectives LO10.1 Describe how delivering bad news impacts your credibility. LO10.2 Explain considerations for deciding which channels to use when delivering bad news messages. LO10.3 Summarize principles for effectively delivering bad-news messages.

3. 10-3 Learning Objectives LO10.4 Compose effective bad-news messages in person and in writing for various audiences, including colleagues, external partners, and customers. LO10.5 Deliver and receive negative performance reviews constructively. LO10.6 Review bad-news messages for effectiveness and fairness.

4. 10-4 Maintaining Credibility When Delivering Bad News  Honesty and openness are keys  Although people do not like to get bad news, they expect the truth

5. 10-5 Maintaining Credibility When Delivering Bad News  Many assume that communicating bad news to customers shakes relationships and breeds mistrust  Delivering bad news the right way can actually strengthen customer relationships and lay the foundation for increased trust when conditions improve

6. 10-6 Guidelines for Bad News Messages Deliver the Bad News in a Timely Manner Choose the Right Mix of Channels Sympathize with the bad-news recipients and soften the blow Provide a simple, clear rationale Explain immediate impacts Focus on solutions and long-term benefits Show goodwill

7. 10-7 Understand How the Bad News Will Affect Your Audience  Delivering bad news often creates stress, anxiety, and other strong emotions  More than with other types of messages, you may need to work hard to focus your message on serving others

8. 10-8 Choose the Right Mix of Channels  Bad news is best delivered in person  This allows rich communication, where you can use verbal and nonverbal cues to show your concern and sensitivity

9. 10-9 Choose the Right Mix of Channels  An advantage to placing bad news in writing is being able to control the message more carefully and ensure that you state the bad news precisely and accurately

10. 10-10 Advantages and Disadvantages of Bad News in Verbal and Written Forms

11. 10-11 Choose the Right Mix of Channels  Severity  how serious or detrimental the bad news is.  Controllability  the degree to which the bad-news message receiver can alter the outcome

12. 10-12 Choose the Right Mix of Channels  Likelihood  relates to the probability of the bad event occurring

13. 10-13 Types of Bad News and Richness of Communication Channels

14. 10-14 Sympathize with the Bad-News Recipient and Soften the Blow  In person, most people make a judgment about your genuine concern for them based on many factors, including your past treatment of them and your nonverbal behavior  You may use a one- or two-sentence buffer to start the bad-news message, which softens the blow

15. 10-15 Sympathize with the Bad-News Recipient and Soften the Blow  Buffer  a statement to establish common ground, show appreciation, state your sympathy, or otherwise express goodwill.

16. 10-16 Buffers for Bad-News Messages

17. 10-17 Sympathize with the Bad-News Recipient and Soften the Blow  Teaser message  Signal to recipients that an upcoming conversation or other communication may involve unpleasant news  Prepares recipients emotionally yet does not reveal specific information  Often written

18. 10-18 Getting the Tone, Style, and Design Right  Aim for a tone of genuine concern in a professional manner  Inject some positive direction to the message, but don’t provide false hope  Use a writing style that is simple, accurate, and jargon-free  Maintain a simple design

19. 10-19 Less-Effective Delivery of Bad News to a Client

20. 10-20 Delivering Bad News in Writing to Colleagues  Mum effect  occurs when the chain of messages within an organization is filtered at each level to leave out or inaccurately state the bad news  The message that top executives often hear ends up being unrealistically rosy

21. 10-21 Delivering Bad News in Writing to Colleagues  In all management positions, you will need to give bad news to your boss, your peers, or those you supervise from time to time  Your ability to deliver bad-news messages constructively will foster a transparent and open work culture.

22. 10-22 Bad-News Message to Employees

23. 10-23 Delivering Bad News in Writing to External Partners  External partners can include suppliers, consultants, or joint-venture partners  You are better off breaking bad news to them in a rich communication channel—in person or by phone

24. 10-24 Less-Effective Bad-News Message to a Supplier

25. 10-25 More-Effective Bad-News Message to a Supplier

26. 10-26 Delivering Bad News in Writing to Customers  Bad-news messages to customers contain the same essential components as other bad- news messages.  When writing this kind of bad-news message, you want to emphasize the options available—solutions the customer has control over.

27. 10-27 Delivering Negative Feedback  Adopt a team-centered orientation  Avoid sugarcoating the bad news  Explain the impacts of the individual’s poor performance on organizational performance  Link to consequences  Probe for reasons performance is not higher  Emphasize problem solving rather than blaming  Be firm

28. 10-28 Giving Clear and Targeted Feedback

29. 10-29 Focusing on Actions and Results, Not Attitudes and Intentions

30. 10-30 Establishing Measurable Expectations

31. 10-31 Receiving Negative Feedback  You will have many opportunities to get feedback about your performance and potential  Seeking and receiving feedback, even when it’s negative, will help you develop the skills you need to make an impact in the workplace and move into new positions.

32. 10-32 Reframing Your Thoughts to Initiate Feedback Conversations

33. 10-33 Reviewing Bad-News Messages  When writing bad-news messages, always reread them several times  Place yourself in the position of the recipients so you can try to imagine how they may feel and react

34. 10-34 Reviewing Bad-News Messages  Consider asking trusted colleagues to review your message and give feedback  They may be able to give you a neutral and objective view of the situation.

35. 10-35 Are Your Bad-News Messages FAIR?